


You Brought Me Home

by Sorin



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, lots of feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-09-24
Packaged: 2018-04-23 05:29:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4864838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorin/pseuds/Sorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After freeing Aymeric, the Warrior of Light refuses to rest without making certain he is well. This story contains SPOILERS for The Vault and onward! NSFW!</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Brought Me Home

**Author's Note:**

> This story contains explicit content and Heavensward spoilers- if that's not your thing, please move along! Otherwise- enjoy!

To say that today has been one of the very worst of my life is not at all an understatement.I’m sore and heartsick, and all I really want to do is find somewhere to grieve- but duty has kept me going this long, and I have to rely on it a little while longer.After leaving Fortemps Manor I stand blindly in the falling snow, face tipped up to the clouds, as though by staring upward I’ll receive an answer- _why?_

I know there isn’t one.

I swallow hard against the lump in my throat and close my eyes against the burn of tears.I can’t- not yet.Before I do _anything_ else, I have to know how Aymeric is- and he’s near the top of my list of questions that likely won’t be answered.

_How could a father condemn his own son and order him tortured?How could he brand his own blood a heretic for trying to reveal the truth?_ , and _How can someone who always shone so brightly be gone?Why did he give his life for mine?Could I have done more?_

_Why, why, why?_

I feel like I spend most of my life asking that question.The clock never turns back.

I draw a deep breath and wipe my eyes, then head for the Congregation of the Knights Most Holy.Aymeric is, thank the Twelve, alive- and though his injuries are extensive, they likely won’t keep him down for long.I’m more concerned about the emotional damage that may have been done, and the twist in my chest when I think about what he must have suffered nearly suffocates me.

I find Lucia standing in the large chamber outside Aymeric’s office, and she hurries over when she sees me.“How is Count Edmond?” she asks worriedly.

I close my eyes briefly, then shake my head.He’s got Artoriel and Emmanellain with him, that’s about as much as I can say.Tonight will be hard for a great many people.

She sighs and shakes her head.“What a loss,” she says softly.“This is a black day for all of us.”

Yes, I think, it is.I don’t know what I’m going to do without Haurchefant’s steadfast support and friendship.I draw a slow breath, then ask her how Aymeric is.

“Sleeping, supposedly,” she replies with a wry smile.“The healers took care of the worst of the damage and gave him a draught for the pain, which he took after Estinien threatened to pour it down his throat.”She smiles and gestures to the back hallway.“You can go look in on him.I doubt very much that he’s actually doing as he said he would.”

I smile quickly and thank her, then hurry into the hallway.It’s silent when the door closes behind me, and I sigh softly in relief.His chambers are in the back, well away from anyone else’s, and I hesitate before knocking lightly.When there’s no answer I assume he’s asleep, but when I try the knob, the door opens.I hesitate, then slip inside and close it silently behind me- and bolt it.

I don’t want to be bothered, and he’s told me many times that I can find solace here when needed.I smile a little when I realize that’s why the door was unlocked in the first place… maybe, just maybe, he was hoping I would come.

I hang my cloak on the back of the door and take my boots off, then pad slowly to his bedroom.The door is ajar, and when I push it open I see him reclining on the bed, propped up on pillows.He looks over, then makes a soft sound and pushes himself up.

“I’d hoped it would be you,” he murmurs.He rises and takes an unsteady step toward me, and I hurry to meet him so he doesn’t hurt himself.He wraps his arms around me and holds me close, and I exhale, resting my head on his shoulder and hugging him back.

I draw back after a few seconds, looking up at him anxiously.He looks well enough, I think, at least physically… but his eyes are darkened with grief and pain.

He smiles briefly.“I’m all right,” he says quietly.He cups my face with his hands and kisses me deeply, and my knees go weak as everything catches up with me.  

_I almost lost him._

Carefully, he draws back and helps me out of my armor.I worry about him being up, and he shakes his head.“The healers took good care of me.I’m going to be sore for quite some time, and not… not able to fight- but I will recover.”

I run my fingers through his midnight-dark hair.I know he wants to fight by my side, and I’m honored that he does… but I will feel _far_ better with him here and safe in Foundation.

He smiles a little, then pulls me into his arms, into a drowning-deep kiss.I return it as best I can, but he steals my breath as he always has, and all I can do is wrap my arms around him and hold tight.

When the kiss breaks we are both breathing hard, and I gently push him toward his bed.He needs to be resting.He obediently reclines against the pillows again, but he reaches up and pulls me down with him.I protest softly, worried about his injuries, but he silences me with his mouth on mine.

“I am well, and I- I need this,” he whispers, his lips brushing mine as he speaks.“Please, just for a little while, I want- I _need_ to forget.”

I hesitate, then give him a soft kiss.I can give him this much, I think… and, I think it will help me as much as it will help him.I carefully straddle his thighs and kiss him again, slipping one hand beneath his tunic to feel the warmth of his skin.He exhales against my mouth and pulls me closer still, and I smile a little, nudging my nose against his.

After a moment I feel his hands slip from my back to my waist, then beneath my shirt, warm and careful against the small of my back.I revel in the way he touches me as I always do, and it’s my turn to sigh softly into the kiss.

His lips curve.“It’s been too long,” he whispers.

I agree with him.Our time together is always somewhat brief, stolen in the deepest part of the night when nobody can see me slip into his room, when nobody can think us less than immovable and invincible.In truth, we are more mortal than most, we who see and experience war up close- and never, I think, have I fit quite so well against someone as I do with him.

He moves his hands up my back, pushing the fabric of my shirt as he does, and I take the hint and pull it off, tossing it heedlessly in favor of leaning back down to kiss him again.He runs his hands over my shoulders and down my arms, then back up my sides.I shudder as he teases me, drawing his fingers slowly down my chest, brushing his thumbs against stiff nipples and coaxing a quiet sound of pleasure out of me.I drop my head a bit, mouth seeking his neck, and he tips his head to the side and keeps his hands right where they are, toying with me and making me shiver.

I let this continue for a bit and then sit back, urging his arms up so I can strip his tunic off.He lets me and it gets tossed in the same way my own had, and I sink back into his arms, kissing him deeply once more.I can never get enough of the way he tastes, the softness of his lips, the way he needs me as badly as I need him- especially now.

I take my time with him, returning to his neck as he rests his hands on my back- but he is clearly in a bigger hurry than I, and I huff against his skin as he slips his hands beneath my soft trousers to cup my backside.He pulls me flush against him, and we both make soft sounds.I press my face against his neck as his hands move further, fingers spreading across my thighs, slipping upward and making me jerk against him.I am suddenly _very_ invested in ridding myself- and him- of the rest of our clothing, but he moves his hands back again and pushes me forward, lifting his hips as he does so.I let out a soft cry, face pressed against the curve of his neck, and I press delirious, open-mouthed kisses against his skin.

After just a moment of that I shift a little, determined to have _him_ the one gasping and breathless.The laces on his trousers are already loosened, and I have them undone in seconds, reaching beneath and wrapping my hand around him as I support myself with my free hand.A soft sound escapes him and I continue, intent on coaxing more from him- I can’t get enough of the sound of his voice.I rub the pad of my thumb against the tip and he _growls,_ fingers digging into my backside.That sound sends a rush of heat through me and I draw back just enough to make him open his eyes to look at me- and I very deliberately lift my hand, then brush my tongue against my thumb.

The look in his eyes at that moment is enough to steal my breath.

He pulls me down for a hard kiss, and things escalate suddenly as the heat building between us explodes outward.He yanks my trousers down as I pull at his, and once they’re gone and forgotten he catches me with one arm as he slips his hand downward, and I drop my forehead to his shoulder and let out a low groan.I always need him fiercely when we meet, but I feel like it’s far more intense this time, and I know he feels it too.He is careful with me, making sure I’ll feel no pain, but I honestly don’t care- and I bat his hand away after just a moment.When I draw back I cringe a bit- I’ve left a mark on his shoulder, not where anyone can see, but- he doesn’t need more of that, not now.

He sees my expression and shakes his head.“Those bruises are ones I treasure,” he says quietly.

I look at him for a moment, my eyes searching his.He smiles, and in the stillness, I smile back.

I am reminded, then, of what’s to come- and I move closer, urging him back into the pillows.He puts his hands on my hips and I lean down to kiss him, and _never_ has lovemaking felt this good- and never have I needed it quite this badly.His back arches and his hands grip tight, and I breathe a sound of pleasure into his mouth that makes him shake a little.This, I think, is the perfect thing for us both.

After a moment he bites at my lower lip and gently pushes me back.I blink, confused, then protest again when he lowers me to the mattress.

“Shh,” he whispers, and then he is in me again and all I can think about is how blindingly good it feels.I wind my arms around him and draw my knees up toward my shoulders, and each thrust grants him a breathy sound that grows louder every time.He’s making quiet sounds too, his voice low and beautiful in my ear, and my eyes roll back as I give myself over completely.

All at once, time seems to crystallize into one perfect heartbeat- he lifts his head and looks down at me, and I look back at him, teetering right on the edge… and when I fall over, the kiss he gives me is all that keeps all of Foundation from hearing me cry out.He loses control a few seconds later, and I realize the kiss was as much for his sake as it was for mine.

It’s a long moment before he draws away, and I want to clutch him against me instead of letting him go.He seems to understand, and he lingers, kissing me softly and letting our breath mingle.I breathe his name, and he closes his eyes and deepens the kisses until we are clinging to one another once more.

Once we’re settled, the pillows scattered around us save for a couple and the blankets drawn up, he traces idle patterns on my bare arm with one hand, the other resting on my hip.“I’m glad you came back tonight,” he says softly.“After… everything, I wasn’t sure if you’d have already left.”

I shake my head slightly.I couldn’t leave, not without seeing for myself that he was well- and I still don’t want to.I want to stay with him, to ease the bruised look out of his eyes, to remind him that even though his family by blood has damned him, the family he’s chosen loves him dearly.

He lets his breath out and lifts a hand to cover his eyes.“Going there at all was foolish,” he breathes.“If I hadn’t been so damn set on this, if I’d heeded everyone’s advice and not had such blind faith…” He trails off.

I push myself up and draw his hand away, shaking my head firmly.I don’t want him to say that, I don’t even want him to _think_ that anything that’s happened was his fault.

“I wish I could believe that,” he murmurs, gazing back at me.“My actions cost me one of my dearest friends- and yours.None of you would have been in that place if not for me.”

I smile faintly.Had we not been there, we wouldn’t have known of the Archbishop’s plans… and left unchecked, who knows what he would have done?Now we have an idea, and we can follow him.I won’t stop until he’s paid for what he did to Aymeric.I smooth one hand down from his shoulder to his side, trailing along the mottled bruises with great care so as not to hurt him.This would have happened eventually, I think… and better to have it done now, while there’s still an Ishgard left to protect.

He closes his eyes briefly at my touch, then opens them again.“You are far more than I deserve,” he says softly.“You should hate me for all the trouble I’ve caused you.”

I answer that with a kiss.There is nothing he could possibly do to make me hate him, not now that I’ve seen the truth of his strength and character… and when his tears spill over, I kiss them away as best I can before settling down and pressing close again, holding him tight.

When he calms, he’s quiet for a little while.“Thank you,” he finally says, his voice soft- and I nestle closer in response, clearly settling in with no plans on going _anywhere_ for at least the next few hours.

I will protect him, I think… I will do _everything_ to keep him safe.I will chase the Archbishop, his father, to the very ends of Eorzea before I allow him to return here and hurt him again.

I take his hand and press a warm kiss to his palm, and together, we drift off to sleep.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Aside from Ashes giving me tons of feels for this pairing, this is a story I started forever ago and randomly had the urge to finish. I'm a sucker for hurt/comfort. I hope you liked it!


End file.
